Acceptance and Risk Perception of COVID-19 Vaccination among Pregnant and Non Pregnant Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Matched-Sample Study
Onyekachukwu M. Amiebenomo,
Uchechukwu L. Osuagwu,
Esther Awazzi Envuladu,
Chundung Asabe Miner,
Khathutshelo P. Mashige,
Godwin Ovenseri-Ogbomo,
Emmanuel Kwasi Abu,
Chikasirimobi Goodhope Timothy,
Bernadine N. Ekpenyong,
Raymond Langsi,
Richard Oloruntoba,
Piwuna Christopher Goson,
Deborah Donald Charwe,
Tanko Ishaya,
Kingsley E. Agho
Affiliations
Onyekachukwu M. Amiebenomo
Department of Optometry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City 300283, Nigeria
Uchechukwu L. Osuagwu
Bathurst Rural Clinical School (BRCS), School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Bathurst, NSW 2795, Australia
Esther Awazzi Envuladu
Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos 930003, Nigeria
Chundung Asabe Miner
Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos 930003, Nigeria
Khathutshelo P. Mashige
Westville Campus, African Vision Research Institute, Discipline of Optometry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 3629, South Africa
Godwin Ovenseri-Ogbomo
Department of Optometry, Centre for Health Sciences, University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness IV2 3JH, UK
Emmanuel Kwasi Abu
Department of Optometry and Vision Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 00233, Ghana
Chikasirimobi Goodhope Timothy
Department of Optometry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Mzuzu University, Luwinga 2, Mzuzu P. Bag 201, Malawi
Bernadine N. Ekpenyong
Westville Campus, African Vision Research Institute, Discipline of Optometry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 3629, South Africa
Raymond Langsi
Health Division, University of Bamenda, Bambili P.O. Box 39, Cameroon
Richard Oloruntoba
School of Management and Marketing, Curtin Business School, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6151, Australia
Piwuna Christopher Goson
Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos 930001, Nigeria
Deborah Donald Charwe
Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, Dar es Salaam P.O. Box 977, Tanzania
Tanko Ishaya
Department of Computer Science, University of Jos, Jos 930003, Nigeria
Kingsley E. Agho
Westville Campus, African Vision Research Institute, Discipline of Optometry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 3629, South Africa
This study aims to evaluate the acceptance and risk perception of pregnant and non pregnant women towards COVID-19 vaccines using a cross-sectional matched-sample study approach. A web-based questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions was administered to adults older than 18 years in the sub–Saharan African (SSA) region. Respondents (n = 131) were grouped based on their pregnancy status (54 pregnant and 77 non pregnant women) and matched for comparison by age. The matched groups were compared using the chi-square test and the t-test where appropriate. Compared to non pregnant women, pregnant women reported significantly lower risk perception scores of COVID-19 infection (3.74 vs. 5.78, p p n = 40) were concerned about the safety of the vaccine. After adjustment, women’s education, marital status, belief in misconceptions and risk perception were associated with non-vaccination among pregnant women. The content analysis revealed that pregnant women refused the vaccine due to mistrust of their countries’ health systems, concerns about the country where the vaccines were manufactured and a lack of confidence in the production process of the vaccines. This study shows the poor acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women in SSA, who perceived a lower risk of COVID-19 infection. Understanding the reasons for non-acceptance and the motivation to accept the COVID-19 vaccine could guide the development of health education and promotion programmes, and aid governments and policymakers in implementing targeted policy changes.
